Territorial Jobs and the Politics of Pay Cuts

We learn (not officially) that the salaries of Federal office-holders in Washington Territory have been reduced by a law of Congress, and if what we hear in relation to the subject be true, such reduction is not uniform, and by no means equitable in its effect. Our district judges and local land officers received $2,500 each per annum. Under the new law, our district judges receive $2,000 per annum, whilst Registers and Receivers of Land offices get but $500. Why this unaccountable disparity? It is generally believed that the Register of lands in the local offices holds one of the most important as well as most laborious positions in the Territory. Its whole time is taken up. Why the pay should be cut down to a mere pittance while that of others, less important and less responsible, is fixed at almost the original amount, we cannot understand. Denny, register, and Cushman, receiver of lands at Olympia, are citizen appointments. It may be desirable to get the whole batch from the outside, and the reduction of salaries is the ruse adopted to accomplish the object. If such is the fact, there will be engendered a spirit of dissension which must seriously affect our territorial interests.